Welcome to Shangri-la. By order of the state council of the Chinese government – Jonathan Watts

From The Guardian:

Flashing red neon tubes light up the way to the karaoke bar in Shangri-la’s Paradise hotel, where guests are invited to buy the company of hostesses: 100 yuan (¬£7) to sing for an hour, 200 yuan for a shared dance.

Five minutes further on is the Shangri-la “Old Town”, built from scratch in the past two years. The elegantly carved wooden buildings are already full of trinket sellers offering fluffy yaks, prayer beads and ceremonial daggers, while black-market hawkers walk the cobbled streets touting fake Rolex watches and Ray-Ban sunglasses. [Full Text]